In suburban areas of Ukraine, many residents living in cottage houses are not connected to centralized water supply and sewage systems and their waste often directly pollutes the local environment.

The EDM project worked with the local community in Dolyna, to clean and prevent contamination from household sewage at the neighborhood activity center Park-Misto. Located downhill from surrounding residential areas, runoff from rain and snowmelt converge at the park and contain dangerous substances from untreated sewage and household waste that pose dangers to human and ecosystem health. The project constructed a 250-meter water drainage system to prevent polluted run-off from reaching the park and the park lake.

Residents were also educated on the importance of correct waste water treatment, leading to many households installing improved treatment systems. This reduced the volume of contaminated run-off reaching the lake, improved environmental quality of the park to provide a nicer and safer space for recreation to local residents.

Outputs

• Constructed a 250 m rain and snow melt drainage system to reduce and prevent contaminated run-off from polluting Park-Misto and its lake
• Improved the environmental quality of Park Misto and reduced pollution reaching the local lake
• Educated residents on waste water treatment, leading to households installing improved treatment systems
• Generated local interest in the creation of a centralized sewage system, which could pose a sustainable

Project detail

Title: Construction of rain and melted snow water draining system in the recreational zone ‘Park-Misto’
Implementation period: 2012-2013
Implementing agency: Center for Supporting and Developing Reforms
Location: Ivano-Frankivska Oblast, Dolyna city, Shevchenko
Budget: 38,806 USD (EDM: 34,060 / Co-financing: 4,746

Many of the 235,000 residents of Ivano- Frankivsk city only have access to low quality drinking water, where contamination from nitrates and other substances increase their vulnerabilities to illness disease. While many homes are able to afford water filters to address the problem, a majority have schools are able to take actions to ensure the water provided for students and teacher are safe to drink.

The EDM project improved awareness among city residents on the importance of the protection and sustainable use of clean water, and also installed safe drinking water facilities in schools serving 3,500 students, teachers and staff.

A wide-range of community outreach activities reached 100,000 people, informing them through a regular bulletin on local water quality issues, numerous articles in local news media, and educational materials on water saving techniques in daily activities.

Sustainability contests and a comic book for children have activated in interest and action on water protection for more than 4,000 students.

Outputs

• Raised awareness on the protection and sustainable use of clean water to more than 100,000 people in Ivano-Frankivsk city, Ukraine
• Provided clean drinking water facilities in schools serving 3,500 students, teachers and staff
• Produced regular bulletin ‘Water is the Source of Life’ on local water quality issues widely disseminated to city residents
• Educated 4,000 residents through a ‘How to Save Water’ booklet. Engaged 4,000 children in a student sustainability contest and produced a comic book to advocate water conservation among youth

Project detail

Title: Promotion of people’s environmental awareness in order to form a responsible attitude to water resources as a necessary condition for sustainable development of the region
Implementation period: 2011-2012
Implementing agency: Centre for Municipal and Regional Development – Resource Centre
Location: Ivano-Frankivsk city
Budget: 44,640 USD (EDM: 40,000 / Co-financing: 4,460)

Renowned for the natural beauty of its landscape, Ukraine still faces challenges to protect and provide secure clean water in its rural communities. Many places still depend on outdated water infrastructure built during the Soviet era and a majority of natural water bodies used for water supply are severely polluted.

Enhancing awareness and capacity in local authorities and communities is essential to restore water quality and local prospects for robust development.

This project supported a total of 14 activities across 29 municipalities to promote awareness and improve access to clean water in Ukraine. Diverse projects produced a number of creative, replicable solutions – ranging from comic books and drawing competitions to online water monitoring and micro-irrigation systems – that can be emulated by communities for positive change throughout the country.

Outputs

• Developed and funded seven awareness and seven water access projects
• Developed an online map of spring locations with citizen monitoring information on water quality
• Piloted drip irrigation system in Lugansk municipality, which served as demonstration plot for community members
• Facilitated the rehabilitation and protection of five springs, supporting nearly 50,000 people with access to cleaner water.
• In Bolgrad, educational and communication activities engaged 15,500 local citizens.

 Project detail

Title: Promotion of rational water usage through community-based initiatives
Implementation period: 2012-2013
Implementing agency: UNDP Ukraine
Location: 29 Municipalities in Ukraine
Budget: 176,874 USD (EDM: 120,000 / Co-financing: 56,874)

The condition, operation and maintenance of much of Ukraine’s water and sanitation infrastructure requires immediate improvements as more than 40% of water is lost in the transmission network, and waste water management systems often do not function.

The EDM project in Ukraine worked to improve waste water treatment through the implementation of four micro-projects in Saky, Tulchyn, and Novovolynsk municipalities.

These projects worked to connect domestic households to sewage collection systems, which were then connected to municipal waste water treatment systems. It also helped form service cooperatives run by local community members to collect fees from system users to fund necessary maintenance work. As a result, 841 people have gained access to water treatment systems that prevent sewage from contaminating groundwater and drinking water supplies.

Outputs

• Implemented four micro-projects in three municipalities to connect domestic households to sewage collection and municipal wastewater treatment systems.
• Provided 841 people with access to water treatment systems that prevent sewage from contaminating groundwater and drinking water supplies.
• Supported local community members to form service cooperatives to collect fees from system users to fund necessary maintenance work.

Project detail

Title: Every Drop Matters – Ukraine
Implementation period: 2013-2015
Implementing agency: UNDP Ukraine
Location: Saky, Tulchym, and Novovolynsk municipalities
Budget: 186,842 USD (EDM: 95,000 / Co-financing: 91,842)